'Quakes Nip Crew in OT
Published on September 7, 2002 under Major League Soccer (MLS) News Release
SAN JOSE, Calif. - The San Jose Earthquakes maintained their grasp on the League lead with a 4-3 overtime victory over the Columbus Crew Saturday night at Spartan Stadium. A wild and wide-open regulation period saw Crew forward Edson Buddle lead Columbus into the tiebreaker, but a freak own goal gave the Quakes the overtime win.
The Earthquakes took the lead early on an Eddie Robinson goal in the fourth minute of play. Richard Mulrooney's corner dropped into the center of the penalty area, where Robinson stepped into open space and hammered it past Crew goalkeeper Jon Busch. The goal was Robinson's second of the 2002 campaign.
The Quakes doubled their lead in the 22nd on another Mulrooney restart. Mulrooney's kick from 30 yards out bounced high enough for midfielder Ronnie Ekelund to get a solid strike, rising over the defensive wall but dipping just underneath the crossbar and out of the reach of Busch.
In the second half, the end-to-end action of the game continued as both teams scrapped for the final advantage.
The Crew got one back in the 28th thanks to a heads-up play from forward Brian McBride, whose alert chip pass put the ball into space behind San Jose `keeper Joe Cannon. Charging down the field, speedy Crew forward Jeff Cunningham got behind Cannon and slotted the bouncing ball into the back of the net.
In the 53rd minute, San Jose forward Ariel Graziani netted a breakaway goal to give the Quakes a 3-1 lead. A 50-50 Ekelund challenge on McBride left Graziani with an open run into space. Graziani took Busch on in a one-on-one race, leaving the Crew goalkeeper sprawling with a sharp finish.
Edson Buddle, reigning MLS Player of the Month, began erasing the San Jose lead in the final third of the game, notching two goals to tie the game by the end of regulation. In the 59th minute, Buddle benefited from an odd deflection off of San Jose defender Troy Dayak. Turning to face goal, Buddle put it past Cannon to bring the Crew within one goal. Buddle knotted the score at 3-3 in the 82nd with his second goal of the night, putting home a Robert Warzycha pass to send the game into overtime.
In overtime, the Crew's Chad McCarty was shown his second yellow card of the night, sending the Columbus defender to the showers early and leaving his squad shorthanded for the remainder of the golden goal tiebreaker.
But it was a bizarre own goal in the 97th minute that would prove the difference. Ramiro Corrales started the play with a drifting pass to the far post, where Graziani nodded the ball back across the face of the net. Busch scrambled to cover the potentially dangerous ball, but a collision with Crew defender Brian Dunseth sent the ball skittering into the back of the net, giving San Jose the sudden death victory.
The win leaves San Jose (14-9-3, 45 points) in control of the League standings, erasing the effects of Los Angeles' 2-1 win over Chicago earlier tonight. The Earthquakes finish up their season with a home-and-home series against the Galaxy, beginning with the Rose Bowl fixture on Saturday, September 14th.
Columbus (10-11-5, 35 points) is locked in a battle for first place in the Eastern Conference, fighting off the MetroStars and the Chicago Fire for top spot in the East. With the Fire loss earlier this evening, the Crew lose no ground, but must now gird themselves for a tough two-game series with the Fire. The first leg of the regular season finale kicks off on the 14th, when the Fire visit Columbus Crew Stadium.
Major League Soccer Stories from September 7, 2002
- 'Quakes Nip Crew in OT - MLS
- Fire Inched 2-1 by Los Angeles - Chicago Fire FC
- Twellman Hat Trick Leaves United at a Loss - D.C. United
- Ruiz Lifts Galaxy over Fire - MLS
- Twellman's hat trick enough for Revs - MLS
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